BX 

7233 


SERMON 


DELIVERED    BEFORE    THE 


AT  THEIR  ANNUAL  MEETING  IN  WEYMOUTH, 


JUNE  12,  1833. 


BY  ASAHEL  BIGELOW, 

Patlor  of  the  Orthodox  Congregational  Church  in  Walpolt. 


BOSTON: 

PRINTED    BY   PERKINS   &    MARVIN. 


1833. 

«jj£  --  , 


SERMON 


DELIVERED    BEFORE   THE 


AUXILIARY  EDUCATION  SOCIETY, 


OP 


AT  THEIR  ANNUAL  MEETING  IN  WEYMOUTH, 


JUNE  12,  1833. 


BT  ASAHEL  BIGELOW, 

f  tutor  of  the  Orthodox  Congregational  Church  in  Walpolt. 


BOSTON: 
PRINTED   BY  PERKINS   &   MARVIN. 

1833. 


SERMON. 


ROMANS,  x.  14. 

HOW  SHALL  THEY  HEAR  WITHOUT  A  PREACHER? 

THE  gospel  is  a  religion  designed  for  all  nations.  It  is 
suited  to  the  wants  of  man,  in  every  age,  wherever  found, 
and  of  whatever  character.  Consequently,  it  is  important 
that  all  nations  and  people  should  enjoy  its  blessings.  But 
how  shall  the  gospel  be  effectually  communicated  to  them, 
who  are  deprived  of  its  privileges  ?  Shall  it  be  conveyed 
to  them  as  a  written  message  ?  or,  must  it  be  presented 
by  the  living  preacher  ?  It  appears  from  the  text,  and  its 
connection,  that  the  apostle  Paul  considered  the  preaching  of 
the  gospel  essential  to  the  general  diffusion  of  Christianity ; 
for,  while  he  admits  the  truth  that,  Whosoever  shall  call 
upon  the  name  of  the  Lord,  shall  be  saved,  he  asks,  How 
shall  they  call  on  him  in  whom  they  have  not  believed  ?  and 
how  shall  they  believe  in  him  of  whom  they  have  not  heard  ? 
and  how  shall  they  hear  without  a  preacher  ?  In  accordance 
with  the  sentiment  here  expressed,  I  shall  attempt  to  show 
that  the  gospel,  presented  by  the  living  preacher,  is  essential 
to  any  great  and  permanent  success  in  the  work  of  saving 
men.  To  illustrate  this  proposition,  I  remark, 

I.  That  the  indifference  of  men  to  their  spiritual  interests 
is   such,    as   renders   the   gospel,    presented   by  the  living 


preacher,  essential  to  any  great  success  in  the  work  of  their 
salvation. 

Something,  it  is  true,  may  be  effected,  by  sending  the 
Bible  and  other  religious  books  where  the  gospel  is  not 
preached  ;  but  this  is  not  sufficient  to  produce  great  and  last- 
ing results.  Man  is  naturally  opposed  to  the  truth,  averse 
to  contemplating  his  character  and  prospects  as  a  sinner,  dis- 
posed to  cherish  the  most  favorable  views  of  himself,  and,  in 
the  height  of  spiritual  danger,  feels  secure.  If,  therefore, 
you  give  him  the  Bible,  suited  as  it  is  to  pour  light  upon  his 
condition,  to  expose  his  ruined  state,  to  sweep  away  his  vain 
hopes,  and  persuade  him  to  be  reconciled  to  God,  he  feels 
no  interest  in  examining  it,  but  hateth  the  light,  neither  com- 
eth  to  the  light,  lest  his  deeds  should  be  reproved ;  or,  if  he 
is  induced  to  read  the  Bible,  sees  his  true  character  and  pros- 
pects disclosed,  and  begins  to  feel  alarmed,  will  he  not  throw 
it  aside,  and  welcome  his  former  indifference,  unless  the  liv- 
ing preacher  is  there,  to  keep  its  truths  before  his  mind,  and 
apply  them  to  his  conscience  ?  Is  not  this  obvious,  from 
what  takes  place  where  the  gospel  is  preached  ?  When  im- 
penitent sinners  are  awakened,  see  their  lost  condition,  and 
their  fears  are  excited,  do  they  not  almost  uniformly  endea- 
vor to  suppress  their  anxiety,  and  often  succeed  in  doing  it, 
and  this  too,  notwithstanding  the  truth  is  held  up  to  their 
view  and  applied  to  their  conscience,  with  all  the  power  of 
human  eloquence  ?  What,  then,  can  we  expect,  if  the  Bible 
and  other  religious  books  are  left  to  operate  alone  ?  Will 
they  not  be  comparatively  inefficient  ?  Yes,  the  impenitent 
are  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,  insensible  to  their  moral  con- 
dition, and  love  this  insensibility,  and  merely  sending  them 
the  written  word,  to  apprise  them  of  their  danger,  is  not 
enough.  Heralds  must  go  about  among  the  dead,  crying, 
Awake,  thou  that  sleepest !  They  must  not  only  be  ap- 
prised of  their  danger,  but  it  must  be  kept  before  them,  and 
their  attention  kept  fixed  on  it,  till  they  shall  be  induced  to 
escape. 


Further,  should  they  to  whom  the  gospel  is  not  preached 
receive  it  as  a  written  message,  they  would  probably  fail,  in 
most  cases,  of  being  convinced  that  they  need  the  provision 
it  makes,  for  their  salvation.  For,  so  favorable  are  their 
views  of  themselves,  they  would  doubt  the  truth  of  the  de- 
scription it  gives  of  their  character,  and  consequently  doubt 
their  need  of  a  remedy,  suited  to  the  wants  of  them  whose 
character  answers  to  this  description.  They  would  also 
doubt  whether  the  religion  of  the  gospel  is  a  reality,  produ- 
cing the  great  and  happy  effects  it  claims  to  produce ;  for 
they  see  not  its  appropriate  effects.  The  written  word  speaks, 
to  them,  in  silent  language,  addresses  more  their  intellect 
than  their  heart,  and,  on  its  lifeless  page,  exhibits  not  reli- 
gion in  action.  To  affect  them  deeply  and  permanently, 
the  religion  of  the  gospel  must  assume  form  and  life,  and  ap- 
peal to  their  sympathies.  Like  its  Author,  it  must  come  to 
them  clothed  in  h'umanity,  animating  a  nature  like  their  own, 
living  and  acting  in  their  midst,  and  exhibiting  before  their 
eyes  its  transforming,  happy  effects.  And  this  it  does,  in  the 
person  of  that  preacher,  whom  the  love  of  Christ  constrains, 
and,  thus  presented,  it  possesses  a  power  comparatively  re- 
sistless ;  a  vitality,  before  which  doubts  melt  away ;  an  elo- 
quence, to  which  even  the  ear  of  indifference  cannot  be 
deaf. 

II.  That  the  gospel,  presented  by  the  living  preacher,  is 
essential  to  any  great  and  permanent  success  in  the  work  of 
saving  men.  appears  from  the  general  tendency  of  the  human 
mind  to  embrace  error. 

Man  will  have  a  religion,  of  some  kind  :  but,  fallen  as  he 
is,  possessing  a  heart  deceitful  and  wicked,  he  is  naturally 
much  more  inclined  to  false,  than  true  religion.  Therefore, 
if  left,  with  the  Bible,  and  a  sufficiency  of  other  religious 
books,  to  form  his  opinions,  unaided  by  those  that  have  felt 
the  power  of  truth  on  their  own  hearts,  the  probability  is, 
that,  in  most  cases,  he  will  embrace  some  system  of  error. 
If  he  reads  the  Bible,  he  will  either  be,  like  the  nobleman  of 


6 

Ethiopia,  not  able  to  understand  what  he  reads,  unless  some 
man  should  guido  him,  or,  understanding,  will  shield  his 
heart  against  it.  And  this  is  matter,  not  merely  of  spec- 
ulation, but  of  fact.  Look  where  you  will,  over  heathen 
lands,  or  those  called  Christian,  and  in  every  place,  where 
the  gospel  is  not  heard  from  the  lips  of  the  preacher,  you 
find  error  bearing  almost  undisputed  sway.  And  what  shall 
be  done  f  How  shall  these  moral  wastes  be  cultivated  ? — 
these  erring  souls  reclaimed?  Will  you  send  them  the 
Bible  ?  Some  of  them  already  have  it,  and,  with  it  in  their 
hands,  have  become  what  they  are  in  religious  sentiment. 
And  would  they  be  more  likely  to  profit  by  it,  whose  opin- 
ions are  already  formed  ?  whose  minds  are  subjected,  and 
their  hearts  wedded  to  the  various  systems  of  error  and  idol- 
atry ?  No  :  the  living  preacher  must  go  with  the  Bible.  He 
must  go  and  disclose  to  men  their  errors,  by  pouring  upon 
their  darkness  the  light  of  truth  ;  by  presenting,  explaining 
and  enforcing  the  demands  of  the  law  and  the  gospel ;  by 
assailing  their  false  systems  of  religion,  proving  from  the 
scriptures  that  they  are  false,  and,  by  doing  this  repeatedly 
and  continually,  arrest  their  attention,  and  excite  them  to  a 
serious  examination  of  themselves  by  the  truth.  There  is 
scarcely  a  probability  of  their  being  reclaimed  in  any  other 
way.  Their  understanding  is  perverted  ;  all  their  thoughts 
and  feelings  are  accustomed  to  flow  in  a  wrong  direction, 
and  it  is  not  easy  to  turn  them  back.  Simply  a  glance  at 
the  truth,  will  not  do  it.  The  truth  must  be  kept  steadily 
before  them,  and  they  be  made  to  see  and  feel  that  it  is 
truth,  whether  they  desire  it  or  not.  There  must  also  be 
something  visible,  with  which  they  may  compare  the  effects 
of  error.  They  must  see  religion,  vigorously  active  in  the 
living  preacher,  not  merely  addressing  the  intellect,  but  pour- 
ing forth,  from  an  overflowing  heart,  its  compassion  for  dying 
men,  and  exhibiting  its  blessed  effects  in  a  life  of  joyful 
hope,  else  not  half  its  preciousness  will  be  seen,  nor  half  its 
power  felt.  What  had  been  the  comparative  result,  had  the 


gospel,  merely  as  a  written  message,  been  sent  to  those  pla- 
ces which  Paul,  as  an  ambassador  of  Christ,  visited,  with 
such  unparalleled  success  ?  Would  it  have  exposed  and 
overthrown  the  false  systems  of  Judaism  and  heathenism,  as 
it  did  ?  Would  it  not  have  wanted  that  subduing,  resistless 
power,  which  it  possessed,  while  flowing  from  the  lips  of 
him  whose  heart's  desire  and  prayer  to  God  was,  that  Israel 
might  be  saved,  and  whose  spirit  was  stirred  within  him, 
when  he  saw  the  nations  wholly  given  to  idolatry,  and  who, 
while  proclaiming  it  to  others,  as  tidings  of  great  joy,  pre- 
sented, in  his  own  person,  living  evidence  that  it  really  does 
for  lost  sinners,  all  it  professes  to  do  ? 

III.  That  the  gospel,  presented  by  the  living  preacher,  is 
essential  to  any  great  and  permanent  success  in  the  work  of 
saving  men,  is  evident  from  the  fact,  that  error  is  every- 
where supported  by  living  advocates.  There  is  no  place 
where  they  are  wanting.  If,  in  some  instances,  there  are  not 
professed  teachers  of  the  various  systems  of  error,  there  are 
those  who  supply  the  deficiency.  This  is  true  of  Christian 
lands ;  and,  in  heathen  countries,  religious  teachers  are  al- 
ways numerous.  And  who  does  not  know,  that  the  living 
advocate  of  any  cause  exerts  a  much  more  favorable  influ- 
ence, in  favor  of  that  cause,  by  being  present  with  and  per- 
sonally addressing  those  whom  he  wishes  to  influence,  than 
he  could  exert  by  merely  sending  them  written  communica- 
tions ?  Who  is  not  conscious  of  this  ?  When  you  wish  to  in- 
fluence a  person,  in  some  particular  way,  why  do  you  feel  so 
much  more  confident  of  success,  if  you  may  see  him  and 
speak  face  to  face,  than  you  do  when  merely  writing  to  him  ? 
Because,  when  present  with  him,  you  have  an  opportunity  to 
meet  his  objections  as  they  rise,  to  allay  his  prejudices,  to 
adapt  your  arguments  to  his  state  of  mind  and  feeling,  and  to 
follow  up  any  advantage  which  may  be  gained.  This  you 
cannot  do,  when  absent.  If,  by  letter,  you  make  on  his 
mind  a  favorable  impression,  it  may  be  effaced  before  you 
can  profit  by  it ;  for  like  reasons,  the  living  preacher  exerts, 


8 

in  favor  of  the  truth,  a  much  greater  influence  than  can  be 
exerted  by  merely  the  written  word.  And  the  advocates  of 
error  derive  no  less  advantage  from  being  present  with  those 
whom  they  wish  to  influence,  than  do  the  advocates  of  truth. 
And,  where  there  is  not  the  living  preacher,  the  advo- 
cates of  error  have  this  advantage  exclusively  to  themselves. 
If,  then,  you  furnish  the  population  round  them  with  the 
Bible,  and  religious  books,  they  are  present  to  defend  their 
own  systems  against  the  truth  ;  to  misrepresent  it ;  to  ridi- 
cule and  persecute  them  who  are  inclined  to  embrace  it ; 
and,  in  these  and  other  ways,  they  will  nearly  or  quite  coun- 
teract its  influence.  Indeed,  they  do  much  to  check  the 
progress  of  truth,  when  exhibited  and  defended  by  the  living 
ministry,  and  operating  under  the  most  favorable  circum- 
stances. If,  therefore,  the  written  word  is  left  to  operate 
alone,  against  all  this  opposing  influence,  can  we  expect  of  it 
great  achievements  in  the  work  of  saving  men  ? 

But  the  living  advocate  has  another  important  advantage 
over  written  communications ;  for  men  are  so  constituted  as 
to  be  peculiarly  susceptible  of  impression  from  the  power  of 
speech.  The  voice  is  the  most  efficient  means  of  influence 
which  man  possesses.  It  is  the  only  medium  through  which 
he  can  adequately  express  what  he  feels,  what  importance 
any  truth  or  subject  assumes  in  his  own  mind  ; — the  only 
medium  through  which  the  soul  can  communicate  her  most 
vivid  conceptions  and  her  deepest  emotions.  Suppose  Paul's 
reasoning  of  righteousness,  temperance,  and  judgment  to 
come,  had  been  laid  before  Felix  on  paper,  instead  of  com- 
ing in  the  living  voice  direct  from  a  soul  burdened  with  the 
theme ;  would  the  Roman  governor  have  trembled  as  he 
did?  Or  had  a  like  course  been  pursued  with  Agrippa, 
would  he  have  been  almost  persuaded  to  be  a  Christian  ? 
And  there  was  Whitefield,  blazing  like  a  comet  over  the 
land,  at  whom  almost  a  nation  went  out  to  gaze  j  and,  as 
they  saw  and  heard,  the  attention  of  the  most  thoughtless 
was  arrested,  and  hearts  burning  with  malicious  rage  were 


changed  to  penitence  and  love.  But  what,  compared  with 
this,  is  the  effect  of  Whitefield's  sermons  when  read  on  the 
siJent  page  ? 

Indeed,  the  human  voice  has  an  unrivalled  power  to  arrest 
attention  ;  to  excite  feeling  and  sympathy,  and  may  almost 
be  said  to  create  them.  It  seems  designed  of  God  to  exert 
influence — and  man  designed  to  be  influenced  by  it.  There 
are  in  the  soul  chords  which  nothing  will  so  move  as  the 
human  voice^  conveying  to  them  the  vibrations  of  kindred 
chords.  For  these  reasons  the  living  preacher  has  a  high 
pre-eminence,  in  point  of  influence^  over  all  other  means  that 
can  be  employed  for  the  salvation  of  men.  And  the  advo- 
cates of  error,  for  the  same  reasons,  have  a  like  advantage 
for  the  promotion  of  their  cause  j  and,  where  the  living  min- 
istry of  the  truth  is  not,  this  advantage  is  exclusively  their 
own.  And  what  must  be  the  result,  should  the  cause  of  truth 
be  left  to  sustain  itself  in  these  circumstances,  however  well 
aided  by  the  press  ?  Effects,  no  doubt,  would  be  produced; 
effects  over  which  angels  would  rejoice*  But  would  the 
cause  of  truth  thus  advance  and  triumph  ?  Could  it,  unless 
miraculously  sustained  and  made  superior  to  the  mighty  pre- 
eminence which  the  cause  of  error  would  have  over  it  ? 

IV.  That  the  gospel,  presented  by  the  living  preacher,  is 
essential  to  any  great  and  permanent  success  in  the  work  of 
saving  men,  may  be  inferred  from  the  fact,  that  God  has 
appointed  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  as  the  special  means 
of  salvation. 

Previous  to  his  ascension  Christ  commissioned  his  apostles 
to  go  into  all  the  world  and  preach  the  gospel  to  every  crea- 
ture, and,  at  the  same  time,  intimated  that  this  commission 
extended,  not  only  to  them,  but  to  a  succession  of  ministers 
which  should  continue  to  the  close  of  time. — For,  he  adds, 
Lo,  I  am  with  you  alway,  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world. 
Agreeably  the  apostle  says  that,  when  Christ  ascended  up 
on  high,  he  gave  some,  apostles ;  and  some,  prophets ;  and 
some,  evangelists ;  and  some,  pastors  and  teachers ;  for  the 
2 


10 

perfecting  of  the  saints,  for  the  work  of  the  ministry,  for  the 
edifying  of  the  body  of  Christ ;  till  we  all  come  in  the  unity 
of  the  faith,  and  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Son  of  God,  unto  a 
perfect  man,  unto  the  measure  of  the  stature  of  the  fullness  of 
Christ.  This,  certainly,  implies  that  the  living  ministry  is  of 
divine  appointment,  having  for  its  object  the  advancement 
and  perfection  of  the  church,  and  was  designed  to  continue 
till  the  church  shall  be  perfect,  or  till  all  its  members, 
throughout  all  ages,  to  the  end  of  time,  shall  have  been 
gathered  into  the  kingdom  of  God,  when  every  member 
being  present,  the  body  will  be  complete. 

Again,  the  apostle  testifies  that,  When  in  the  wisdom  of 
God,  the  world  by  wisdom  knew  not  God,  it  pleased  God, 
by  the  foolishness  of  preaching,  to  save  them  that  believe. 
Hence  it  appears  that  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  is  the 
special  means  ordained  of  God  for  the  salvation  of  men. 
What  reason,  therefore,  have  we  to  expect  that  any  great 
success  will  attend  efforts  made  to  accomplish  their  salvation 
without  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  ?  True,  God  is  able  to 
make  other  means  effectual,  and,  for  aught  we  know,  to  sub- 
stitute for  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  means  equally  effica- 
cious. But  will  he  do  it  ?  Is  there  any  reason  to  expect  he 
will  ?  Is  not  the  arrangement  he  has  made  for  the  world's 
conversion,  such  as  he  saw  was  appropriate  and  best,  and 
such  too  as  he  intends  shall  continue  always,  even  unto  the 
end  of  the  world  ?  The  church,  therefore,  must  fall  in  with 
this  arrangement,  and  sustain  the  gospel  ministry,  if  she 
would  see  the  cause  of  her  Redeemer  advance,  and  the  pre- 
dictions respecting  her  own  triumph  and  glory  brought  to 
their  accomplishment. 

V.  That  the  gospel,  presented  by  the  living  preacher,  is 
essential  to  any  great  and  permanent  success  in  the  work  of 
saving  men,  is  evident  from  facts. 

We  can  refer  to  no  instance  in  which  Christianity  has  ex- 
tensively prevailed  without  the  living  ministry.  That  good 
has  been  done,  souls  converted,  without  the  preaching  of  the 


11 

gospel,  is  unquestionable ;  and  that,  in  some  cases,  the  truth 
has  been  cherished  in  small  circles,  and  retained  in  purity 
for  a  long  time  without  the  preaching  of  the  gospel,  is  also 
unquestionable.  But  nowhere  do  we  meet  with  an  instance 
in  which  the  gospel  has  prevailed,  and  made  conquests  from 
generation  to  generation,  without  the  living  ministry.  But 
there  are  numerous  instances  the  reverse  of  this.  We  have 
only  to  look  around,  and  they  meet  us  in  every  direction. 
Even  in  New  England,  a  place  where  the  gospel  has  had  as 
fair  an  opportunity  to  exert,  extend  and  retain  its  influence, 
as  in  any  other  portion  of  the  globe,  there  are  numerous  in- 
stances in  which  its  influence  has  declined  and  been  almost 
annihilated  for  want  of  the  living  preacher.  Of  such  in- 
stances we  are;  repeatedly  told  in  the  reports  of  our  benevo- 
lent societies.  "  In  our  own  State,"  says  the  report  of  an 
education  society  in  New  Hampshire,  "  one  church,  which, 
fifty  years  ago,  contained  sixty-two  members,  is  reduced  to 
two  females.  Another  church  of  forty  members  has  become 
extinct,  and  another  of  eighty-six  members  has  become  ex- 
tinct." And  these  are  by  no  means  solitary  instances  of  the 
kind.  They  are  of  frequent  occurrence.  But  why  is  it  that 
once  flourishing  churches  are  become  nearly  or  quite  extinct? 
Why  are  we  told  of  waste  places  in  our  Zion  ?  Why  so  often 
see  the  church  clad  in  mourning  and  hear  her  lamenting,  as 
of  old,  I  have  lost  my  children  ;  I  am  desolate  ?  Why  is 
this  ?  Simply  because  the  living  ministry,  for  some  reason, 
was  discontinued  in  these  churches.  For  they  were  neither . 
deprived  of  the  written  word,  nor  denied  the  privilege  of 
social  worship,  nor  excluded  from  the  throne  of  grace.  All 
these  remained  after  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  was  sus- 
pended ;  and  if  they  are  of  themselves  sufficient  to  secure 
permanent  spiritual  prosperity,  then  there  was  no  good  reason 
why  these  churches  should  decline  and  come  to  nought.  But 
these  means  and  privileges  alone  are  not  sufficient.  These 
churches  and  the  surrounding  population  could  not  live  with- 
out a  preacher,  and  this  instrumentality,  specially  ordained 


for  the  prosperity  of  the  church,  being  laid  aside,  declension 
and  desolation  followed  of  course.  And  now,  whenever  a 
church  is  deprived  of  the  preaching  of  the  gospel,  though  left 
in  the  enjoyment  of  all  the  other  means  of  prosperity,  she 
soon  begins  to  decline  and  waste  away,  and,  if  left  in  this 
situation  for  a  great  length  of  time,  becomes  nearly  or  quite 
dissolved.  And  who  has  not,  in  numerous  instances,  had 
the  unhappiness  of  witnessing  the  process  of  her  dissolution  ? 
Who  has  not  before  him  facts  sufficient  to  convince  him  that 
great  achievements  in  the  work  of  saving  men  will  never  be 
made  without  the  living  preacher?  For  what  are  facts  of 
the  nature  we  are  contemplating,  but  an  exhibition  of  the 
principles  of  the  divine  government  as  it  regards  the  church  ? 
— an  obvious  coincidence  of  the  providence  of  God  with  his 
revealed  will? — an  unequivocal  proclamation  to  the  church, 
that  there  are  means  ordained  for  her  prosperity,  without 
which  she  will  go  to  ruin ;  and  that,  among  these  means,  the 
living  ministry  is  pre-eminent  and  indispensable. 

But  if  the  gospel  will  not  prevail  and  be  permanently  suc- 
cessful where  churches  are  planted  and  thriving,  without  the 
living  ministry,  it  cannot  in  any  other  circumstances.  If  in 
Christian  lands  it  must  be  proclaimed  to  men  by  ambassa- 
dors of  Christ  in  order  to  produce  great  and  lasting  results, 
what  could  we  expect  of  it  if  conveyed  to  heathen  merely 
as  a  written  message  ?  How  shall  they  hear  without  a 
preacher  ?  Will  any  thing  but  the  living  ministry  bring 
churches  into  existence  where  they  are  not,  since  flourishing 
churches, waste  away  and  die  when  deprived  of  it? 

Thus,  whatever  view  we  take  of  the  subject,  the  con- 
clusion is  unavoidable,  that  the  gospel,  presented  by  the 
living  preacher,  is  essential  to  any  great  and  permanent  suc- 
cess in  the  work  of  saving  men.  Heralds  of  salvation  must 
go  all  abroad,  proclaiming  the  tidings  of  great  joy,  presenting 
again  and  again  to  lost  sinners  the  provision  and  claims  of 
the  gospel,  or  they  will  die  in  their  sins.  And,  my  friends, 
J  have  dwelt  at  length  upon  this  truth,  that  it  may  be  deeply 


13 

impressed  on  your  minds  and  suitably  affect  your  hearts, 
while  you  contemplate  the  moral  condition  and  prospects  of 
the  world. 

As  you  look  abroad  over  the  earth  you  behold  six  hun- 
dred millions  of  immortal  beings,  in  all  the  darkness  of  hea- 
thenism, pressing  forward  upon  an  eternal  state.  They  are 
without  hope  and  without  God  in  the  world ;  know  nothing 
of  salvation  through  a  crucified  Saviour,  and  are  ignorant  of 
the  doom  which  awaits  them.  This  immense  multitude  will 
perish,  and  the  multitudes  which  shall  rise  and  fill  their  place 
will  perish,  unless  the  gospel  is  sent  them.  Yes,  unless  the 
living  ministry  is  established  in  their  midst,  and  the  gospel 
preached  to  them,  they  will  perish. 

Come  back  now  to  our  own  land.  Here  are  four  thousand 
churches  destitute  of  pastors,  surrounded  by  a  destitute  popu- 
lation, while  the  increase  of  ministers  keeps  not  pace  with 
the  increase  of  our  population.  Here,  too,  men  will  perish 
without  the  living  ministry.  These  destitute  churches  must 
be  supplied  with  pastors,  else,  like  others,  left  in  similar  cir- 
cumstances, they  will  decline  and  become  extinct.  And  this 
destitute  and  rapidly  increasing  population  must  receive  the 
gospel  from  the  living  preacher,  or  they  will  go  over  to  error 
and  infidelity,  and,  because  they  believe  not  the  Son,  will 
not  see  life.  Yes,  the  destitute  at  home  and  abroad,  in 
every  clime,  on  every  continent  and  isle,  of  every  kindred 
and  tongue,  must  believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  or  they 
will  perish.  For  there  is  none  other  name  under  heaven, 
given  among  men,  whereby  they  can  be  saved.  But  how 
shall  they  believe  in  him  of  whom  they  have  not  heard  ? 
and  how  shall  they  hear  without  a  preacher  ?  Is  there  the 
least  probability  that  more  than  here  and  there  one  of  these 
hundreds  of  millions  will  be  saved — whatever  else  may  be 
done  for  them — unless  they  shall  be  furnished  with  the  gos- 
pel ministry  ?  When  you  consider  their  indifference,  their 
predisposition  to  error,  and  the  fact,  that  they  are  influenced 
by  the  advocates  of  error,  can  you  expect  any  thing  more 


14 

favorable  than  this?  And,  when  you  examine  the  word  and 
providence  of  God,  is  not  all  hope  of  any  thing  more  favora- 
ble annihilated  ?  For  the  special  instrumentality  of  his  ap- 
pointment for  the  salvation  of  men,  is  the  living  ministry ; 
and  where  this  is  wanting,  error,  and  infidelity,  and  idolatry, 
and  superstition  reign,  and  little  meets  the  eye  but  scenes  of 
spiritual  desolation — millions  living  and  dying  without  hope. 
And  unless  there  shall  be  heard,  crying  throughout  this 
moral  wilderness,  the  voice  crf-him  that  publisheth  peace,  it 
will  remain  a  desolation,  a  waste  howling  wilderness,  a  land 
of  darkness  and  death. 

But  here  the  question  rises — a  question  of  deep  interest 
to  every  benevolent  mind — How  shall  preachers  be  obtained 
in  sufficient  numbers  to  supply  the  destitute  millions  at  home 
and  abroad  ?  It  is  obvious  that  ministers  will  not  rise  up 
in  their  midst  to  supply  their  wants,  except  as  they  shall  be 
raised  up  by  missionary  effort  in  connection  with  literary  in- 
stitutions. For  the  entire  history  of  the  church  since  the 
age  of  miracles,  is  evidence  that  God  has  no  design  of 
furnishing  the  nations  with  the  gospel  ministry,  except  by 
human  instrumentality.  There  is,  therefore,  no  probability 
that  either  the  heathen,  or  the  destitute  in  Christian  lands, 
will  be  furnished  with  the  ministry  from  among  themselves, 
independent  of  foreign  Christian  effort.  Indeed,  there  is 
no  possibility  of  this,  unless  the  age  of  miracles  shall  return, 
and  God  shall  call  men  from  their  worldly  employments,  and 
from  a  state  of  sin,  and  commission  them  at  once  to  preach 
the  gospel.  And  there  is  no  reason  to  expect  he  will  do 
this. 

And  where  the  gospel,  with  all  its  blessings,  is  enjoyed, 
ministers  will  not  educate  themselves  in  sufficient  numbers  to 
supply  the  demand  at  home,  and  to  furnish  the  heathen.  At 
least,  they  never  have  done  it ;  and  there  is  no  probability 
that  they  ever  will  do  it.  No,  the  demand  at  home,  in  our 
own  land,  is  not  supplied  in  this  way.  Neither  is  it  supplied 
with  the  addition  of  all  that  are  educated  by  the  church. 


15 

There  are  now  four  thousand  churches  destitute  of  pastors, 
while,  at  the  same  time,  the  increase  of  ministers  keeps  not 
pace  with  the  increase  of  our  population. 

How  then  shall  preachers  be  obtained  in  sufficient  num- 
bers to  supply  the  destitute  at  home,   and  to  furnish  the 
millions  in  pagan  lands  ?     The  church  must,  to  a  great  ex- 
tent, provide  them.     At  her  own  expense  she  must  educate 
and  send  them  forth,  till,  with  the  addition  of  those  who 
shall  be  raised  up  from  among  the  destitute  by  their  instru- 
mentality, the  world  shall  be  supplied.     This  is  the  course 
pointed  out  by  Providence.     And  it  is  wise  to  follow  the 
leadings  of  Providence  :    it  is  duty ;    it  is  the  only  way  in 
which  we  may  expect  success  in  the  great  enterprise  of  the 
world's  redemption.     For  the  cause  of  truth  is  the  cause  of 
God ;  and  the  promise,  that  all  shall  know  the  Lord,  from 
the  least  to  the  greatest,  is  the  promise  of  God,  and  he  will 
accomplish  it  in  the  best  manner  possible.     Since,  therefore, 
it  is  so   obviously  his   will  that  the  church  should  furnish 
a- ministry  to   convert  the  world,   she   is  bound  to   engage 
cordially,   and   efficiently,   in   raising   up  and  sending  forth 
preachers  of  the  gospel,  till  it  shall  be  published  to  every 
creature,  unless  God  shall  previously  disclose  and  bring  into 
operation  some  other  method  for  the  accomplishment  of  this 
object.     And  if,  at  any  time,  he  shall  do  this ;  if,  by  unusual 
outpourings  of  the  Spirit,  they  who  are  able  to  educate  them- 
selves for  the  ministry  shall,  in  sufficient  numbers,  be  made 
willing  to  do  it,-  and  also  willing  to  go  forth  and  preach  the 
gospel  to  all  people  ;  or  if,  in  any  other  way,  God  shall  make 
it  unnecessary  for  the  church  to  furnish  the  destitute  with 
preachers,  she  may  then  relinquish  her  exertions  in  this  de- 
partment of  benevolence.     But,  till  this  shall  be  done,  she 
must  feel  herself  obligated  to  impart  the  gospel  to  every 
creature  by  means  of  the  living  ministry.     She  has,  then, 
before  her  a  great  work,  and  the  most  powerful  motives  to 
engage  in  it,  heart  and  hand,  till  it  shall  have  reached  its 
accomplishment.     But  when  will  this  be,  at  her  present  rate 


16 

of  effort  ?  If  with  all  she  does,  in  addition  to  what  is  done, 
in  other  ways,  to  furnish  the  destitute  with  preachers,  the , 
supply  keeps  not  pace  with  even  the  demand  at  home,  when 
will  she  send  the  gospel  forth  into  all  the  world  ?  And  what 
are  the  prospects  of  the  hundreds  of  millions  of  heathen  in 
this  state  of  things  ?  Who  shall  relate  to  them  the  story 
of  the  cross,  and  direct  them  to  the  Lamb  of  God  ?  How 
shah1  they  hear  without  a  preacher  ?  We  may  not  imagine 
that  the  destitute,  either  in  Christian  or  pagan  lands,  will  be 
converted  to  God  without  the  living  ministry,  and,  on  this 
ground,  excuse  ourselves  from  increased  exertion  to  supply 
them  with  it.  There  is  no  probability,  no  hope  of  such  a 
result.  The  gospel,  presented  by  the  living  preacher,  is  the 
^rand  instrumentality  which  God  has  ordained  for  the  salva- 
tion of  men,  and  all  other  instruments  and  means  may  be 
regarded  as  auxiliary  to  it.  £s  its  auxiliaries  they  are  indis- 
pensable, but  without  it,  are  comparatively  inefficient.  The 
gospel  must  be  preached  to  every  creature ;  and  on  the 
ground  that  this  shall  be  done,  rests  our  only  hope  of  the 
world's  redemption. 

But  how  shall  the  church  furnish  the  world  with  preachers 
of  the  gospel,  except  by  educating  and  sending  them  forth  at 
her  own  expense  ?  This  is  the  course  she  has  adopted — a 
course  on  which  Providence  has  smiled,  and  is  the  only  one 
which  promises  to  meet  the  wants  of  this  perishing  world. 
Therefore,  education  societies  must  be  sustained,  and  their 
efficiency  greatly  increased ;  for,  since  little-  will  be  accom- 
plished, in  the  work  of  saving  men,  without  the  living 
preacher,  their  object  is  pre-eminently  important.  Not  that 
other  benevolent  institutions  are  to  be  neglected.  They,  too, 
must  be  sustained,  with  increasing  energy.  But  while  the 
cause  of  benevolence  receives  due  attention,  in  all  its  other 
parts,  that  of  educating  ministers  for  the  destitute,  must  not 
be  overlooked.  Preachers  must  be  had,  or  the  world  per- 
ishes. They  must  go  forth  with  the  Bible,  present  and  en- 
force its  truths,  pour  incessant  light  upon  the  darkness  of 


17 

false  religion  and  idolatry,  and  exhibit,  in  their  own  exam- 
ple, the  pre-eminent  value  of  Christianity.  And  happy  the 
day,  when  this  shall  be  universally  done — the  day  when, 
throughout  the  earth,  it  shall  be  said,  How  beautiful  upon 
the  mountains  are  the  feet  of  him  that  bringeth  good  tidings, 
that  publisheth  peace  ;  that  bringeth  good  tidings  of  good, 
that  publisheth  salvation  ;  that  saith  unto  Zion,  Thy  God 
reigneth  !  And  happy,  too,  shall  they  be,  who,  out  of  love 
to  Christ,  do  what  they  can  to  hasten  the  accomplishment  of 
this  great  and  blessed  object ! 


ANNUAL  MEETING. 


THE  Norfolk  Auxiliary  Education  Society  held  its  Seven- 
teenth Annual  Meeting  in  the  Rev.  Mr.  Bent's  church,  in  Wey- 
mouth,  June  12,  1833. 

The  following  gentlemen  were  unanimously  elected  officers  of 
the  Society  for  the  current  year  :• — 

NATHANIEL  MILLER,  M.  D.  President. 

EBENEZER  ALDEN, M.  D.     \ 

Rev.  EBENEZER  BURGESS,     \  Vice  Presidents. 

Mr.  ROBERT  BLAKE,  ) 

Rev.  SAMUEL  GILE,  Secretary, 

Rev.  JOHN  CODMAN,  D.  D.  Treasurer. 

Dea.  JAMES  CLAP,  Auditor. 

Dr.  JESSE  WHEATON,  General  Agent. 

The  office  of  Directors  was  abolished. 

The  thanks  of  the  Society  were  presented  to  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Bigelow,  for  his  appropriate  sermon,  and  a  copy  requested  for  the 
press. 

The  thanks  of  the  Society  were  presented  to  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Bent  and  his  society,  for  their  Christian  hospitality  ;  and  to  the 
choir  of  singers,  for  their  interesting  performances  in  aid  of  the 
public  services  of  the  occasion. 

The  next  annual  meeting  is  to  be  held  in  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Emmons's  meeting-house,  in  Franklin.  Preacher,  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Bent  of  Wey mouth. 

SAMUEL  GILE,  Secretary. 


TREASURER'S  REPORT* 


RECEIPTS  FROM  JUNE  13,  1832,  TO  JUNE  12,  1833. 

1832.  June  13.  By  contribution  after  annual  sermon  at  Walpole,  .        .  $31  08 
July  27.  BRAINTREK,  South  Parish,  clothing,    ....  23  SO 
Sept.  26.  MEDWAY,  East  Parish,  Female  Education  Society,      .  3  37 

1833.  Jan.  10.  SHAROH,  Dorcas  Society,  clothing,       ....  5  00 
April  30.  BRAINTRKK,  South  Parish,  contribution,      ...  12  42 

"     NKEDHAH,  Mrs.  Rebecca  Gaffield,       .        .        .     3  00 
Mrs.  Ruth  Smith,        .        .        .        .     1  00 

Mrs.  Saba  Cushman,  ....     1  00 5  00 

May  30.    MEDWAT,  East  Parish,  Female  Education  Society,      .         43  60 

QUINCY,  Ladies, 9  00 

June  7.    DORCHESTER,  Second  Parish,  Ladies,         .        .  23  00 

9.  public  contribution,        .        .        .60  00 — 33  00 

10.    BRAINTREE,  South  Parish,  clothing,    ....         27  83 

WEYMOUTH,  First  Parish, 75  83 

12.    WRENTHAM,  Female  Education  Society,      .        .  62  30 

Gentlemen's  do 40  00 

Monthly  Concert,     ....     7  50—109  80 
"     WALPOLE,  Female  Education  Society,         .        .   14  62 

Sabbath  school,  .        .        .        .2  00 — 16  62 

"      STOUGHTON,  Subscribers, 7  00 

"     BRAINTREE  and  WEYMOUTH,  Union  Soc.  Subscribers,         76  00 

"      RANDOLPH,  First  Parish, 88  00 

"     FRANKLIN,  Female  Benevolent  Society,       .        .  30  00 
Surplus  Monthly  Concert,  .        .        .     8  89 
Annual  Subscribers,   .        .        .        .   12  00 
Temporary  Scholarship,     .        .        .77  86—128  75 
"     DEDHAM,  First  Church,  Gentlemen's  Assoc.         .  40  25 
Ladies  do.       .        .        .   15  00 
Miss  Mary  Wight,  .        .     5  00 — 60  25 
"     DEDHAM,  South  Parish,  Ladies  to  constitute  Mrs.  Julia 

Park  a  Life  Member,  ....          15  00 
"     MILTON,  Subscribers, 10  00 


The  following  sums  were  collected  by  Rev.  Mr.  Farnsworth,  Agent  for  the 
Parent  Society. 

RANDOLPH,  East  Parish, $18  12 

WEYMOUTH,  South  Parish, 6  00 

DORCHESTER,  Village  Church,  to  constitute  Deacon  S. 

Robinson  a  Life  Member,     .        .         15  06 

QUINCY,  contribution, 6  90 

Female  Education  Society,      ...     4  50 — 11  40 


COHASSET,  Contribution, 7  53 

BRAINTREE,  First  Parish,  Rev.  Edwards  A.  Park, 
to  constitute  himself  a  Life  Member 
of  the  Parent  Society,  .  .  .4000 

Rev.  James  D.  Farnsworth,  to  cons,  himself 

a  Life  Member  of  the  County  Soc.  15  00 

Mrs.  Susanna  Fogg,  to  cons,  herself  a  Life 

Member  of  the  County  Society,     .  15  00 

Female  Education  Society,        .        .        .  16  73 

.Subscriptions,  $40  of  which  to  constitute 
Rev.  Stephen  S.  Smith,  of  (iuincy, 
a  Life  Member  of  the  Parent  Soc.  83  27—170  00 


#228  11 
$1,065  16 


CONTRA. 


To  cash  paid  Perkins  &  Marvin,  for  printing  Annual  Sermon,         .        .  $  33  42 
To  cash  paid  H.  Ropes,  Esq.  Treasurer  of  American  Education  Society, 

as  per  receipts, 803  63 

To  cash  paid  by  Mr.  Farnsworth, 228  11 


$  1,065  16 
Errors  Excepted. 

JOHN  CODMAN,  Treasurer. 
Dorchester,  June  12,  1833. 


LIFE  MEMBERS. 

Constituted  cither  by  their  own  subscription,  the  contribution  of  others,  or  their  connection 
with  the  Parent  Society.    Fifteen  dollars  constitute!  life  membership  of  this  Society. 


Rev.  Richard  S.  Storrs,  Braintree. 
Mr.  Jonathan  Newcomb,      do. 
Rev.  John  Codman,  D.  D.  Dorchester. 
Henry  Gray,  Esq.  do. 

*Dr.  James  Baker,  do. 

»John  Capen,  Esq.  do. 

Mr.  Samuel  Capen,  do. 

Mrs.  Mary  Codman,  do. 

u    Frances  Gray,  do. 

«    *Mary  White,  do. 

Rev.  Ebenezer  Burgess,  Dedfiam. 

"    William  Cogswell,      do. 

"    John  White,  do. 

"    Harrison  G.  Park,        do. 
Mr.  George  Bird,  do. 

Mrs.  A.  B.  P.  Burgess,         do. 
Rev.  Nathanael  Emmons,  D.  D.  Franklin. 
Caleb  Fisher,  Esq.  do. 

Rev.  Elam  Smalley,  do. 

"    Luther  Bailey,  Mcdicaij. 

"    Jacob  Ide,  do. 

Dea.  Asa  Daniels,          do. 


Rev.  Thomas  Noyes,  JYecdham. 

"    William  Richey,     do. 

"    Ebenezer  Guy,  Bridgewater. 

"    Joseph  B.  Felt,  Hamilton. 

"    Jonathan  Curtis,  Skaron. 
William  Ropes,  Esq.  Brookline. 
Rev.  Samuel  Gile,  Milton. 

"    Calvin  Hitchcock,  Randolph 

"    David  Brigham,  do. 

Samuel  Bass,  Esq.  do. 

Rev.  Elisha  Fisk,  Jfrcntham. 

"    Moses  Thacher,  do. 
Mrs.  Margaret  Fisk,    do. 

"    Sally  Blake,         do. 

"    Esther  Whiting,  do. 
Rev.  William  Tyler,  Weymovth. 

"    Jonas  Perkins,        do. 

"    Josiah  Bent,  Jr.        do. 

"    B.  C.  Cutler,  Qutncy. 

"    C.  Park,  D.  D.  Stougnton. 
Mrs.  Abigail  Park,        do. 
Rev.  A.  Bigelow,  If'alpole. 


The  names  of  the  Life  Members  arc  not  inserted  again  in  the  list  of  Annual  Subscriber* 


MEMBERS 


BY  ANNUAL  SUBSCRIPTION  OF  ONE  DOLLAR  OR  MORE. 


Braintree. 

Dea.  Ebenezer  Hunt, 

*Nathaniol  Bianchard, 

Mrs.  Ann  Bianchard, 
"    Rhoda  Perkins, 

Miss  Nancy  Bianchard, 
"    Rachel  Faxon, 

*Mai.  Nathaniel  Wales, 

Levi  Wild, 

Atherton  Wild, 

Jonathan  Wild, 

Silas  Wild, 

Charles  Dickerman, 

Jonathan  French, 

Dr.  Stephen  Thayer, 

William  Reed, 

Alexander  S.  Lincoln, 

Mrs.  Harriet  Storrs, 
"     Elizabeth  Hayward, 
"    Ph«be  Veazie, 
"    Deborah  Wild, 
"    Deborah  Wild,  Jr. 


Mrs.  Rachel  Hayden, 
"    Rhoda  Wild, 
"    Clarissa  Hayward, 
"     Mary  Baxter, 

Nathaniel  Thayer,  Esq. 

Levi  Thayer, 

Barzillai  Penniman, 

Dea.  Nathaniel  E.  Thayer, 

Nathaniel  Hayward, 

Robert  Hayden, 

l)r.  Jonathan  Wild, 

Samuel  D.  Hayden. 

Canton. 
Gen.  N.  Crane, 
Dea.  Ebenezer  Crane, 
Mrs.  Crane, 
*Miss  F.  Crane. 

Drdhnm. 

Dea.  Samuel  Fates, 
"    Jonathan  Richards, 


Dea.  Jesse  Wheaton, 
Gen.  Nathaniel  Guild, 

"    *Josiah  S.  Fisher, 
Capt.  George  Dixon, 
*Mr.  Reuben  Fuller, 
"    Abel  Kenney, 
"    Reuben  Richards. 
"    Reuben  Guild, 
;'    *Eliphalet  Pond, 
"    Jason  Mcssinger, 
"    Joseph  Morrill, 
"    Frederic  A.  Taft, 
"    Ezra  W.  Taft, 
"     •'Jonathan  Avery, 
"    Samuel  Bird, 
"     Elijah  Howe, 
"    *Josse  Daniel  I, 
*Mrs.  Martha  Berry, 
"    Joanna  Cogswell. 
"    Lucy  Billiard. 
"    Lydia  Bullard, 
Miss  A.  T,  Crane, 


Miss  Paulina  Whiting, 

Sophia  Hildreth, 

Mrs.  Perlee  Richardson, 

"    Harriet  Belknap, 

Ruthy  Hildretb, 

Miss  Rebecca  Penniman, 

"    Mary  Ann  Coney, 

Elizabeth  Clap, 

"     Hannah  Turner, 

Mr.  John  Bullard, 

Rachel  Hammond, 

"     Marinda  Daniels, 

"    Jacob  Clark, 
"    Joseph  Stow, 

Elizabeth  Badlam, 
Huldah  Wilcox, 

Dea.  Jonathan  Metcalf, 
"    Nathaniel  Cutler, 

"    Leonard  Alden, 

Sarah  Penniman, 

Maj.  Luther  Metcalf, 

"    Joseph  W.  Swan, 

Mary  Sharp. 

Capt.  John  Harding, 

"    James  Downing, 

Lewis  Harding, 

"    William  Paul, 

Franklin. 

Capt.  Moses  Felt, 

"    William  Smith, 

Dea.  Philip  Blake, 

Philo  Sanford, 

"    C.  Guild,  Jr. 

"    Joseph  Bacon, 

Joel  Partridge, 

"    John  Guild, 

"    James  Metcalf, 

Ezra  Adams, 

"    Martin  Draper, 

"    Levi  Hawes, 

Joseph  Fairbanks, 

"   Horace  Clark, 

Dr.  Nathaniel  Miller, 

Job  Partridge, 

"    Aaron  Cass, 

"    Amory  Hunting, 

Calvin  Plimton, 

"    E.  P.  Crane, 

Nathan  Woodward, 

Samuel  Clark, 

Mrs.  Julia  Metcalf, 

Asa  Partridge, 

Elisha  Cutler, 

"    Nancy  Wheaton, 

Hanan  Metcalf, 

Peter  Liewettee,  Jr. 

"     Polly  Whiting, 

Levi  Fisher, 

Nathan  Bullard, 

"    Olive  Messinger, 

Asa  Fisher, 

Mrs.  Lucinda  Haselton, 

*Betsey  Mclntosh, 

James  Gilmore,  2d, 

Miss  Sarah  Payson, 

"    *Lendamine  Guild, 

Levi  F.  Morse, 

"    Susan  Adams, 

"  ^*Prudence  Clark, 

William  Phipps, 

Horace  Cheney, 

"  '*Hannah  Guild, 

William  Phipps,  Jr. 

George  Holbrook. 

'    *Prudence  Howe, 

Alpheus  Adams, 

"     Lucy  Smith, 
"    Susan  Guild, 

Ira  Blake, 
Harford  Leonard, 

Milton. 
Dea.  David  Tucker, 

"    Prudence  Stow, 

Whiting  Metcalf, 

"    Ameriah  Tucker, 

"    Abigail  Boynton, 

Philander  Ware, 

"    William  Wadsworth, 

"    Martha  Bird, 

*Dea.  Joseph  Whiting, 

*Hon.  Edward  H.  Robbins, 

"    Myra  W.  Leland, 
"    Hannah  D'Wolf, 

"    *James  Adams, 
*Lieut.  Phineas  Ware, 

Dea.  John  Vose, 
Capl.  Nathaniel  Tucker, 

"    *Lydia  Kenney, 

*Jabez  Fisher, 

Isaac  Gulliver, 

"     *Amanda  Taft, 

Mrs.  Louisa  Jane  Smalley, 

Jesse  Tucker, 

"    *Minerva  Taft, 

Miss  Hannah  Woodward, 

Lewis  Tucker, 

"    Elizabeth  Kenney, 

Mrs.  Hannah  Miller, 

Eliphaz  Clap, 

Miss  Rebecca  Damon, 

"    Pamela  C.  Hawes, 

Joseph  Hunt, 

"     Louisa  Damon, 

"    Betsey  R.  Fisher, 

Amos  Wentworth, 

"    Nancy  Damon, 

"     Ursula  Fisher, 

Robert  Tucker, 

"    Sarah  C.  Mann, 

Miss  Hannah  Rice, 

Josiah  Wadsworth, 

"    Betsey  Ellis, 

"    Elizabeth  Woodward, 

Jason  Wadsworth, 

"    Lucy  Talbot, 

"    Abigail  U.  Fisher, 

Thomas  Copeland, 

"    Rebecca  D.  Butterfield. 

"    Sally  Fisher. 

Capt.  Alpheus  French,    . 

Samuel  D.  Vose, 

Dorchester. 

Medfield. 

John  Porter, 

*  Joseph  Clap, 

Artemas  Woodward, 

Mrs.  Mary  H.  Gile, 

Edward  Sharp,  Esq. 

Dea.  Elisha  Clark, 

"    Diana  Crehore, 

*Dea.  Samuel  Capen, 

Capt.  Hinsdale  Fisher, 

*Abigail  Ames, 

"    Ebenezer  Withington, 

John  W.  Adams, 

Susan  T.  Bent, 

William  M.  Rogers, 

Stephen  Turner, 

Rebecca  Gulliver, 

Ebonezer  Dorr, 

Mrs.  Kezia  Mason, 

Mra.  Mary  R.  Wadsworth, 

James  Penniman, 

Dea.  Obed  Fisher, 

"    Susanna  Tucker, 

Dea.  Stephen  Robinson, 

Mrs.  Mehitabel  Woodward. 

"    Abigail  Tucker, 

*John  Capen,  2d, 

Miss  Esther  Wadsworth, 

John  Capen,  3d, 

.Medway. 

"    Judith  Swift, 

William  Hammond, 

Comfort  Walker, 

11    Ruth  Tucker, 

Jonathan  Hammond, 

*Joseph  Lovell,  Esq. 

"    Susannah  Tucker, 

Dea.  Isaac  Howe, 

Mrs.  Jemima  Jones, 

"    Catharine  Bent, 

Aaron  Nixon, 

"    Mary  Bullen, 

"    Nancy  Bent. 

John  Townsend, 

"     Julia  Mason, 

Joseph  Ford, 

"    Sarah  Richardson, 

JVeedham. 

Howard  Ford, 

"    Elizabeth  Lovell, 

Capt.  Ephraim  Bullard, 

William  Symmes, 

11    Eunice  Daniels, 

Dr.  Isaac  Morrill, 

Tristam  Bird, 

"     Rachel  Turner, 

Dea.  Isaac  Kingsbury, 

*Susai  Adams, 

"     Almera  Ellis, 

"    Hezekiah  Fuller, 

Catharine  B.  Clap, 

11     A.  Plympton, 

"    *Zechariah  Cushman, 

Mary  Blake, 

"     Betsey  Wheeler, 

"    Benjamin  Fuller, 

Abigail  Clap, 

K    Abigail  Lovell, 

Capt.  Timothy  Bullard. 

Clarissa  Dorr, 

"     Merriam  Partridge, 

Rebecca  Gleason, 

"     Mehitable  Daniels, 

Randolph. 

Chloe  Gay, 

"    Louisa  Walker, 

Dr.  Ebenezer  Alden, 

Clarissa  Foster, 

"    Sally  Walker, 

Dea.  Elisha  Holbrook, 

Ann  Tolinan, 

"    I'eSSv  Morse, 

"    Elisha  Mann, 

Hannah  Tolmari, 

"     Eunice  Clark, 

Lewis  Whitcomb, 

Harriet  Sherburne, 

"    Polly  Harding, 

Dea.  Asa  Thayer, 

Melinda  Wood, 

"    Mary  Ann  Daniels, 

Nathaniel  Wales, 

iTinn, 

•out//.                  Thomas  H.  .Nelson, 

iil>,  Jr. 

Doa.  Abiel  VVliite,                                 I'oiid, 

.ttlulield.  Jr. 

'•     John  It  :                               <',,!.  ,                       ko,  3d, 

\.>  \  i  I'aine, 

Elnathaii  1!                                                          '  Fisk, 

Horatio  11.  A  Men, 

Ansell  Pratt,                                   "     I.nis  Arrlier, 

Silas  Paine,  Jr.  Esq. 

Cant.  Joseph  Loud,                       "    Olive  Whiting, 

Mrs.  Joanna  Wales, 

Col.  Ebenezer  Humphrey,             "    Esther  Whiting, 

"    A.  K.  Alden, 

Capt.  James  Jones,                       "    Diraxa  Messenger, 

"    Abigail  Mann, 

Elisha  Bates,                                 "     liunnnh  Morse, 

"    Jano  Mann. 

Capt.  Ilervey  Cushing,                 "    Sally  Blake, 

Abner  P.  Nash,                             "    Nancy  Barstow, 

Rozbvry. 

Nathan  Bates,                               "    Jerusha  N.  Fisk, 

Miss  Elizabeth  Richards. 

John  Loud,                                      "     Abiel  Fiahnr, 
Benjamin  Wilder,                         "    Ruth  Cowell, 

Sharon. 

Hon.  Christopher  Webb,               ;i    Lois  Hall, 

Philip  Curtis, 
*Dea.  Oliver  Everett, 
Ebenezer  Hewios, 

David  Pratt,                                  "    Hannah  George, 
Lemuel  Humphrey,  Esq.           Mrs.  Hcpzibah  Drucc, 
James  Humphrey,                         "    Sarah  Ann  Fisher, 

Jacob  Fisher, 

Oliver  Bates,      '                            "    Nancy  Hawes, 

Doa.  Joel  Hewing. 

James  Jones,  3d,                            "    Susanna  Shcpard, 

*  Joseph  Billings, 
Dr.  Daniel  Stone, 

Dr.  Timothy  Gordon,                    "    Olive  Banders, 
Jacob  Loud,                                Miss  Mercy  Whitney, 

Joel  Tolman, 

Stephen  French,                            "    Hannah  Craige, 

*Doa.  Benjamin  Fairbanks, 
*Mrs.  Nancy  Gould. 

Mrs.  Nancy  Bates,                        "    Patty  Cowell, 
"    Betsey  Humphrey,               "    Hannah  Force, 
"    Hannuh  Pratt,                      "    Hepzibah  Cobb, 

Stovghton. 
Den.  Nathan  Drake, 

"    Lydia  H.  Cushing,                "    Abigail  Collock, 
"    Molly  Humphrey,                 "    Julia  Ware, 
"    Paulina  Bent,                       "    Charlotte  Brown, 

"    Samuel  Tolman, 
Mr.  Fisher  Gay, 
"  Samuel  Tolman,  Jr. 

"    Nancy  White,                      "    Elvira  Pales, 
Miss  Phebe  Humphrey.                 "    Nancy  Bean, 
"    Alroira.  Pond 

Samuel  VVUes,  Esq. 
Mrs.  Polly  Hodges. 

Wrentham.                    "    Polly  Read, 
Hon.  Jairus  Ware,                        "    Jerusha  George, 

"    Josiah  J.  Fiske, 

Mary  Billings, 

H'alpolc. 

Dea.  Robert  Sanders, 

Polly  Messenger, 

Dea.  Henry  Plimpton, 

Capt.  Daniel  Cook, 

Betsey  Idc, 

Mrs.  Joanna  Morey, 

Col.  George  Hawes, 

Matilda  Brown, 

"    Mrs.  Joanna  Hill, 

Robert  Blake, 

Olivia  Hawes, 

"    Susanna  Plimpton, 

David  Holbrook,  Esq. 

Polly  Dayj 

"     llli.ida  Bird, 

Dea.  Benjamin  Hawes, 

Mary  Robichau, 

"    Catharine  Allen, 

Samuel  Druce,  Esq. 

Roxa  Day, 

"    Martha  Allen, 

Comfort  Robbins, 

Mary  Ann  Blake, 

"    Catharine  Everett, 

David  Fisher,  Jr.  Esq.                M 

s.  Almira  Felt, 

«    Unity  Allen, 

Capt.  George  Messenger, 

Ann  S.  Metcalf, 

"    Olive  Blackburne, 

James  Ide, 

Betsey  Gay, 

"    Dorcas  F.  Bigelow, 

John  Cummins, 

Polly  Blake, 

11     Abigail  Ruggles, 

Jesse  George, 

Jerusha  Norton, 

"    Remember  Smith, 

Joseph  Bloke,                               ' 

Rebecca  Hartshorn, 

Mrs.  Susan  Hartshorn, 

Alexander  Sanders, 

Rebecca  Fisher, 

"    Nancy  Fisher. 

Capt.  Benjamin  Shcpard, 

Nancy  George, 

"    Cynthia  Clap,' 

Dea.  Benjamin  Shepard,  Jr.       W 

ss  Sarah  Blake, 

"    Lucy  Baker, 

Harvey  George, 

Susan  Ide, 

"    Mercy  Billings, 

Charles  Thayer, 

Martha  Ellis, 

Misi  Nabby  Robbins, 

Benjamin  N.  Shepard, 

Henrietta  Cobb, 

"    Phebe  Robbing, 

Abner  Belcher, 

Miranda  Craige, 

"    Sarah  Pratt. 

Dea.  Elisha  Bond, 

Susan  Ware. 

"    Hannah  Roberts. 

Preston  Pond, 

*  Deceased. 


STACK  COLLECTION 


THIS  BOOK  IS  DUE  ON  THE  LAST  DATE 
STAMPED  BELOW. 


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